Railway traffic controlling



Feb. 12, 1935.

` RAILWAY TRAFFIC coNTRLLING APPARATUS Original Filed OC'C. l5, 1929`nuvENjrolR' l v j ff. C, Vnntasse,

H. c; vANTAs'sEL Re. 19,457

:s the provision of means for accomplishing ther necessary control andindication with a minimum Reissued Feb. 12, 1935 PATENT OFFICE RAILWAYTRAFFIC CONTROLLIN G APPARATUS Harry C. Vantassel, Swiss'vale, Pa.,-assignor to The Union Switch &

Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania OriginalNo. 1,854,967,l dated April 19, 1932, Serial No. 399,776, October 15,1922.9.v Renewed December'22, 1930. Application for reissue March 20,V1934, Serial No. 716,536

1 4 Claims.

My invention relates to railway trafiic controlling apparatus of thetype involving switches and signals controlled by manually operablelevers located at a remote point, and has for an object number of linewires between the control point and the controlled device.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form ofapparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character D designates a railwaytrack which is provided with a switch A leading into 'another track E.'I'he switch A is operated by a mechanism Mv of any suitabletype, andthis mechanism is in' turn controlled by a switch control relay RA. Ashere shown, this relay is of the polarized type, that is, it isselectively responsive to the polarity of the current by which it isenergized.

Traflic over the switch A is controlled by signals S1, S2, S3 and SA.These signals are controlled by a polarized signal control relay RS.

The' switch A operates a pole-changer P, which pole-changer in turncontrols a switch repeating relay AR, so that this relay is energized innormal or reverse direction according as the switch A is in the normalor the reverse position.

The portions of tracks D and E associated with the switch A are providedwith a track circuit comprising' the usual track battery 13 and theusual track relay T. n

Located at a remote point, such as an interlocking tower or adispatchers oihce, is a switch 'control lever LA for the control of theswitch A, and a signal control lever Ls for the control of the signalsS. Associated with these levers are a switch indication relay IA and asignal indication relay IS, which relays control indication lamps F, Gand OS, as will hereinafter appear. A battery C1 is located in theinterlocking tower, and anotherbattery C2 is located adjacent the switchA. v

As shown in the drawing, the switch A is in its normal position, and`all of the signals S are in their Stop" positions. Relay RA isenergized for reasons which will appear hereinafter, and relay RS isdeenergized. I will assume that the operator desires to reverse theswitch A. To do this, he will move the lever LA to reverse position,,thereby supplying current of reverse'polarity to relay RA, the circuitbeing from the righthand terminal of battery C1, through switch levercontact 1, normal signal lever contact 3, line wire X, back point ofcontact 4 of relay Rs, the winding of relay RA, and a common wire O tothe middle point of battery C1. The polar contacts of relay RA will thenswing to the right, whereupon current of reverse polarity will besupplied to the switch operating mechanism M, the circuit beingfromterminal B of a suitable source of current, through front neutralcontact 5 oi relay RA, right-hand point of polar contact 6, operatingmechanism M, and the right-hand point of polar contact 7 to terminal O.Current of this polarity will cause the mechanism M to operate in suchmanner as to move the' switch A to its reverse position. When this hasbeen accomplished, pole-changer P will reverse, thereby supplyingcurrent of reverse polarity to the switch repeat- CII ing relay AR, withthe result that the polar contact S of its relay will swing to theright. The switch indication relay IA will Vthen bey energized bycurrent of reverse polarity, the circuit being from the lower terminalof battery C2, through polar contact 8 and front neutral contact 9 ofrelay AR, front contact l0 of track relay T, front point of contact 1lof relay RA, line wire Y, normal contact 12 of signal lever LS,'thewinding of relay IA, and line wire O to the middle point of battery C2.This will cause polar contact 29 of relay IA to swing to the right,whereupon a reverse switch indication lamp FR will be lighted by virtueof a circuit which will be obvious from the drawing.

I will'now assume that the operator desires to restore the switchA toits normal position.` To do this, he will return lever LA to its normalposition, thereby energizing switch control relay RA by a circuit whichis the same as before, except that it includes the' left-hand half ofb-attery C1 and contact 2 on lever LA. The polar contacts of relay RAwill then return to their left-hand positions, whereupon current ofnormal polarity will be lsupplied to the switch mechanism M, whichcurrent will restore the switch A to its normal position. When this hasbeen accomplished, pole-changer P will returnv to its normal position,thereby again energizing relay AR in its normal direction. Switchindication relay IA will then be energized by virtue of the same circuitas before, except that it will include the upper half of battery C2 andpolar contact 8 of relay AR in its left-hand position. Current of normalpolarity thus supplied to relay IA will cause polar contact 29 of thisrelay to return to its normal position, whereupon normal indication lampFN will will swing the signal lever LS to the left, thereby closingcontact l4 and opening contacts 12 and 3. The opening of contact 3will*` result -in.deener.

gizingV the switch control relay RA, whereupon-v the signal controlrelay lts will become energized in the normal direction by virtue Aof-.alcircuit Which passes from the rightfhandaterminal of battery C1,through contact Mon switch lever LS, line wire Y, back point ocontact 11of,relay RA, winding of relay RS, andcommonyvirep to, the middle pointof battery C1. This will cause,-

relay RS to become energized in such direction that the polar contacts20 and 18 will remain-in the positions in which they are shown in thedrawing. The operating mechanism, of signal" S2 will then be energizedby a circuit .which passes from terminal B, through switch loperatedcontact 16, front neutral contact 1'7 ofrelayvRS, polar contact V18 ofthis relay in the left-hand position, and the operating mechanism ofsignal S2 to terminal O. Assuming that signal S2 does not move to theproceed position, signal indication relay IS will become energized in.Vthe normal direction by virtue of a circuit whichpasses from the upperterminal of battery C2, through front contact 21 of track relay T,contact v25 operated by signal S3, contact v24 operated by signal S1,contact 23 operated by signal S?, contact 22 operated by signal S1,front point of contact 4 of signalrcontrol relay R5, line wire X,contact 26 of signal lever LS, winding of relay IS, and line wire O tothe middlerterminal of battery C2, A stop indication lampGS will then be. lighted vby virtue of a circuit whichpasses fromthe lefthand terminalof battery C1, through Irontcontact 30 of relay 1S, polar contact 310ithis relay in the left-hand position',` and lamp G5 to the middleterminal of battery` C1. The lighting of this lamp will indicateI to theoperator that the signals are all in the stopposition, .01, in otherwords, it will indicatethat the desired Esignal has not responded bymoving to the clearposition. On the other hand, ifl the signal S2 doesrespond by moving to the clear or vproceed position, .signal indicationrelay vIS will become energized in the reverse direction, thecircultnbeingV from the lower vterminal of, batteryv C1, through wire.28, contact 2.3 on rsignal 52 contact 22,011 signal S4, front pointlofcontact `4,01' vrelay RS, line wireXsignal levercontact,26, relay IS:and'line wire O tothe middlegterminal of batteryC2. RelayIs will thenYbe ,energizedin such direction thatv its polar contact 31 will swing tothe rightthereby causing aproceedlamp G C to become lighted by virtueVof' a circuit lwhich will be obvious from the drawing.A The ylightingof. this lamp will indicate` tosthe operator thatdsignal S2 hasresponded .byimoving to the proceed position.

If the operator desires ,toeclearlsignal-S1instead ofvsignal S2, he willmovethe signallevver Ls to the right-,hand position, ,therebyl closingcontact 15 yinstead of`contact-.14. Relaylls vwill 70 then becomeenergized in the oppositedirection to the energizationoLthisrelayca'used.V as zjust described when lever LS is movedfto the lefthandpositiony forA clearing ,signal :,S'-fory the reason that the ciruitwillincludej the left-hand half of battery 'C1 instead of the right-handhalf Should switch A be in the reverse position when lever LS is movedto the left, signal S4 instead .of signal S1 will be moved to theproceed posi- -tion-y because of the change in position of theyswitchoperated contact 16, that is to say, the switch operating circuitwill pass from terminal B, thrdugh contactr 16 in its upper position,front contact 1 9 of relay R5, polar, contact 20 in itsleft-handposition, and the mechanism of sigpal S4 to terminali). Ifsignal lever LS is moved the-right-hand position while switch A is inits reverse position, signal S3 will be moved to the'proeeed-position,for reasons which will be observed from the foregoing` description.

The*v QSl lamp is rcontrolled by, both of lthe indication relay/ al11andV ISv in suchv manner that thislamp Willbe lighted when either relayis.

energized, but will be extinguished when both relaysI are deenergized.That is Yto say, lamp OS is provided'witha circuit which includescontact 32 of -relay IA and contact 33 of relay I? in multiple. Assumingthat all signals are at stop, and that a train enters the track sectionassociated with the track relay T, this relay will open,

switch indicationrelay Il?, so that ccntact32 of the latter relay willopen. Contact 33 of relay I5 already being open, the OS lamp will becomeextinguished to indicate to the operator that the track section isoccupied. Assuming now that the signa-l` levernLs has been moved toeither the right or the left position to clear one of the signals`governing traflic. over the switch A, the switch` indicationrelay IAwill be deenergized, becausel its circuit will be open lat contact 12 oflever LS. Whena train enters Vthe track section it will cause the signalto` returnv` to the stop pos ition, because of the usual track relaycontrol, which isy not shown in the drawing, and this will close thereverseindication `circuitor relay I at all pointsexcept front contact21 of track relay T. Itfollowsthatrelay IS will remain in i125Vdeenelfgized condition vuntilthe train passes out of the ,tracksectionat which time track relayJIf will become -,energized and relay Isvwill become energized inthe reverse direction;` During theintervalwhich .relay IS is deenergized, both branches of the circuit forthe OSlamp will be opened,.s,o that this lamp, will be Vextinguished to.indicate tothe operator thata train has ,acceptedthe signal.y When.thetrain passesout of` the tracksection and track. relay 'I'.beccmes againenergized, relayls will 'becomerenergized So. that the OS lamp, Willbelighted.

It will be seenrom the `foregoing.y that AvI, have provided [means forcontrollingf and indicating the switch A and thesignals S by onlythreewires, of whichyJ-ire X is a. combined switch control and signalindication Wire, wire Y is a combined signal ,control and switch,indication wire, and ,wire O isa` common-wire.: One ,important .featureof mydnventionlis that the indication relayslA. and IS. arecontinuouslyV controlled by the switchV and the signalsrespectively overthe three `line wires 2;, Yl and 0so that any 'changeinthe condition ithe switch.. 0r. .the signals.` is. immediately reectedbyjthe lampsjE.G. and OS..

,y .i Although.; Lhave hereinl shown and` .described only one form ofapparatus embodyingmy inventhereby opening at contact'lO the circuit fortheV tion, it is understood that various changes and modifications maybe made therein within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway switch, signals governing traffic over saidswitch, a switch control relay, a signal control relay, a switch controllever, a signal control lever, a switch indication relay, a signalindication relay, a track relay, a switch repeater relay, a combinedswitch control and signal indication wire X, a combined signal controland switch indication wire Y, a common wire O, a circuit for said switchcontrol relay including a normal signal lever contact and a back contactof said signal control relay as Wellas said wires X and O, meansoperated by said switch lever for supplying current of normal or reversepolarity to said switch relay circuit, a circuit for said signal controlrelay including aback contact of said switch control relay and saidwires Y and O, means operated by said signal lever for supplying currentof normal or reverse polarity to said signal relay circuit, a circuitfor said switch indication relay including a front contact of saidswitch repeater relay and a front contact of said track relay as well asa front contact of said switch control relay and a normal contact-ofsaid signal lever and said wires Y and O, means operated by said switchrepeater relay for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity tosaid switch indication relay circuit, a circuit for said signalindication relay including a front contact of said signal control relayand a right or a left contact on said signal lever, and said wires X andO, means for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to saidsignal indication relay circuit according as all of said signals are atstop or one of them is clear, and indication devices controlled by saidindication relays.

2. In combinatio-n, a railway switch, signals governing traiiic oversaid switch, a switch control relay, a signal control relay, a switchcontrol lever, a signal control lever, a switch indication relay, asignal indication relay, a track'relay, a switch repeater relay,acombined switch control and signal indication Wire X, a combined signalcontrol and switch indication wire Y, a common wire O, a circuit forsaid switch control relay including a normal signal lever contact and aback contact of said signal control relay aswell as said wires X and O,means operated by said switch lever for supplying current of normal orreverse polarity tosaid switch relay circuit, a circuit for said signalcontrol relay including a back contact of said switch control relay andsaid wires Y and O, means operated by said signal lever for supplyingcurrent of normal or reverse polarity to said signal relay circuit, acircuit for said switch indication relay including a front contact ofsaid switch repeater relay and a front contact of said track relay aswell as a front contact of said switch control relay and a normalcontact of said signal lever and said wires Y and O, means operated bysaid switch repeater relay for supplying current of normal or reversepolarity to said switch indication relay circuit, a circuit for saidsignal indication relay including a front contact of said signal controlrelay and a right or a left contact on said signal lever and said wiresX and O, means for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity tosaid signal indication relay circuit according as all of said signalsare at stop or one of them is clear, a normal and a reverse switchindication lamp, means' for lighting said normal or said reverse lampaccording as said switch indication relay is energized in normal orreverse direction, a stop and a proceed signal indication lamp, meansfor lighting said stop or said proceed lamp according as said signalindication relay is energized in normal or reverse direction, an OSindication lamp, and means for lighting said OS lamp when either saidswitch or said signal indication relay is energized.

3. In combination, a railwayl switch, signals governing traflic oversaid switch, a switch control relay, a signal control relay, a switchcontrol lever, a signal control lever, a switch indication relay, asignal indication relay, a combined switch control and signal indicationwire X, a combined signal control and switch indication wire Y, a commonwire O, a circuit for said switch control relay including a normalsignal lever contact and. a back contact of said signal control relay aswell as said wires X and O, means operated by said switch lever forsupplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said switch relaycircuit, a cirv cuit for said signal control relay including a backcontact of said switch control relay and said wires Y and O, meansoperated by said signal lever for supplying current of normal or reversepolarity to said signal relay circuit, a circuit for said switchindication relay including a normal signal lever contact and said wiresY and O, means controlled by said switch for supplying current of normalor reverse polarity to said switch indication relayl circuit, a circuitfor said signal indication relay including a right or a left contact onsaid signal lever and said wires X and O, means controlled by saidsignals for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to saidsignal indication relay circuit, and indication devices controlled bysaid indication relays.

4. In combination, a section of railway 4track including a switch, asignal governing traiic over said switch, two control wires and a commonwire, a circuit for controlling said switch including said common wireand the rst of said control wires, a circuit for controlling said signalincluding said common wirel and the second of said control wires, atrack circuit for said section including a track relay,.a switchindication circuit controlled by said switch and by said track relay andincluding said common wire and said second control wire, a signalindication circuit controlled by said signal and by said track relay andincluding said common wire and said rst control wire, switch indicationmeans controlled by said switch indication circuit, signal indicationmeans controlled by said signal indication circuit, and track indicationmeans controlled by both said switch indication circuit and said signalindication circuit.

5. In combination, a section of railway track including a switch, asignal governing traffic over said switch, a track circuit for saidsection including a track relay, a switch indication circuit controlledby said switch and by said track relay, a signal indication circuitcontrolled by said signal and by said'track relay, switch indicationmeans controlled by said switch indication circuit, signal indicationmeans controlled by said signal indication circuit, and track indicationmeans controlled by both said switch indication circuit and said signalindication circuit.

6. In combination, a section of railway track including a switch, asignal governing trafc over said switch, a track circuit for saidsection including a track relay, a polarized switch indication relayVcontrolled kby said track' relay andby a pole-changer operated by saidswitch, a signal indication'relay controlled by said track relay and bysaid signal, switch indication means controlled `by normal and reversepolar contacts 'of said switch indication relay, signal indication meanscontrolled by said signal indication relay, and track indication meanscontrolled by neutral vcontacts of both said vswitch indication relayand said signal indication relay.

7. In combination, a railwayl traino governing device, aremotely'located manually operable leverA for controlling said device, apole-changer controlled by said device, a polarized relay controlled' bytraffic conditions adjacent said device and repolar contacts of saidrelay, and traffic indication means adjacent said lever controlled by a`neutral contact of said relay. v

8. In combination, a railway trafiic governing device, a remotelylocated manually operable lever` for controlling said device, apolec'hanger com. trolled by said device, aV track relay controlled, bytra-flic conditions adjacent said device, a polar` ized indicationrelay, means for energizing said indication relay in one direction orthe other in accordance with the position of said "polechanger providedthe pole-changer'is in one extreme position or the other and saidtrackrelay is energized,'indication means for said device locatedadjacent said lever andgcontrolled by normal'and reverse polar contactsof said indication relay, and traic indication means adjacent said levercontrolled by a neutral contact of said indication relay.

9. In combination with a railway track switch, a track relay controlledby trac conditions adjacent the switch, a polarized indication relay ata point remote from the switch, means for energizing said indicationrelay in one directlonor the other in accordance with the position oftheswitch provided the track relay is energized, switch indication meanscontrolled by normal and reverse polar contacts lof said indicationrelay, and traffic indication means controlled by a neutral' contact-ofsaid indication relay.

10. In combination, a railway trafc governing device, a remotely locatedmanually operable lever for controlling said device, a poleechang'ercon-Y trolled by said device, a track relay controlled by traiiicconditions adjacent said device, a`polar' ized indication relay at apoint remote from said device a polarized ,line circuit including thecontacts of said polefchanger, a front contact of said trackrelay,andthe winding of said indication relay, indication meansfor saidldevice located adjacentsaid, lever and'controlled by the polar contactsof said indication relay, and traic indication meansadjacentsaid lever`controlled by a neutral contactofsaid indication relay.

' 11InA combination, ltwo associated railway trafiic governing devices,`a track relay controlled by traic.,conditionsadjaoent said devices, anindication relay'Afor each device, each 4controlled in accordancel withtheconditionof the corresponding device and of said track relay,indication means for veachdevice controlled by the correspondingindication relay, and traino indication means controlledl by both saidindication relays.V

12.V In combination, twok associated railway tralic governingdevices,means controlled by traino,conditionsadjacent s aid devices, anindication relayfor eachdevice, located at a point remotelfrom saidVdevice, va line circuit for each indication relay, each' including,contacts controlledby the corresponding device .and a contactcontrolledby said means, vindication means lfor each device controlledby thecorresponding indication relay,.and traiicindication meanscontrolled by bothy said indication relays.

13. I n combination, a detector section of railway ,trackl includingatrack switch, a switch indication relay located at a point remote `fromthe switch,n1ean.s including a rst line circuit for energizing saidrelay attir'nesy by current of one polarity when the switch is normaland by current oftheopposite Ypolarity when vthe lswitch is reversed,the detectorV section is unoccupied, a second vindication relay,controlledy over another line circuit and arranged. to be closed attimes if the detector .track circuit is unoccupied, switch indicationmeans controlled'by said switch indication relay toindicatethe positionof the switch, and track indication means arranged to indicate theoccupancy of ,saiddetefctor section when both said indication relays aredeenergized.

714. In combination, a detector section of railway track includingaltrack switch, a track relay controlled by trajc" conditions adjacent,the switch, a switch indication relay at a-point remote' from theswitch, controlled in accordance with the po'sition'of` the switch, asecond indicar tion relay at saidfpoint controlled in accordance withtheconditlionof traffic governing apparatus adjacent the switch,means'preventing the energizationof either 'indication relay kunless`said track relay`is`,er'1erg`ized,l and means controlled by bothsaidindication .relays for indicating the condition of said'track relay.

HARRY o. vANTAssEL.

